Crabs, crabs and more crabs at Jazz in the Park Treme Crab Fest

Updated March 28, 2017 at 1:59 PM;Posted March 27, 2017 at 3:31 PM

Boiled crabs

Boiled crabs are among the tasty dishes folks can buy at the Jazz in the Park Treme Crab Festival, which runs Thursday, March 30, through Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Armstrong Park's Congo Square. (Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
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The festival, which runs Thursday (March 30) through Sunday, with a ticketed concert on Friday evening, serves as the kick-off for the Jazz in the Park 2017 spring concert series. On Thursday, Saturday and Sunday the festival is free.

"I knew when we booked Michael Franks and Roy Ayers that we were going to have a great year," Emanuel Lain Jr., executive director of People United for Armstrong Park, said of the Friday afternoon concert, which opens at 4 p.m. with Stephanie Jordan, followed by Franks and Ayers. Ticket sales have been brisk, he said.

"With the proliferation of food festivals, we decide to throw our hat in the ring, so we added crab to our festival," Lain said. "This was a smart decision because New Orleanians have a love affair with crab."

Some of the dishes to expect at the festival include:

Rosa Cocina's crab tacos, quesadillas and nachos.

Voleo's Seafood Restaurant's crabmeat boudin and crawfish rolls.

Coolfruit Sensation's crab dip as well as the company's fresh fruit drinks.

Praline Connection's crab gumbo, wings, red beans and greens.

Louisiana Direct Seafood's boiled crabs as well as fried shrimp and oysters.

What: A four-day festival of food, with an emphasis on crab, live music and arts to raise money for People United for Armstrong Park, a nonprofit organization that worked to re-open the park and maintain it as a cultural hub.Where: Congo Square in Armstrong Park, 701 N. Rampart St.When: Thursday (March 30) and Friday, from 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Friday, a ticket concert features musicians Michael Franks and Roy Ayers will headline the event, with Stephanie Jordan opening.Tickets and information: The festival is free on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, tickets to see Franks and Ayers are $25 and $50, with VIP tickets $100, plus service charges, through Eventbrite. For more information, visit ArmstrongPark.org. The event will be held rain or shine. No outside food or drink allowed.